Wounds Run Deep
by LtSolarFlare
Summary: Stress is something that every soldier must face. The stress of day to day life. the stress of combat. The stress of losing one of your fellow soldiers. When a young soldier finds himself in a situation he never expected and the stress of the world crushes down on him. Will he be consumed by it, or will he persevere? After all, in this place anyone can be anything.
1. Chapter 1

It's a simple job, all you have to do is be on time and do exactly what they tell you too. But that's garrison life it doesn't prepare you for war. Shortly after the fuel reserves across the planet dried up war broke out, it was never a question of if it would happen. The question lurking in the back of everyone's mind was always when. And when it did it when down straight in our backyard. The coastal states got hit the hardest. Russian cruise missiles knocked out any ships we had to counter them. And then they hit any defenses we could set up leading inland. Some kind of new "warp" missile, designed to literally fade from existence and reappear inside the target. Our tanks got annihilated before they could get off the trains and convoys. We had to resort to good old fashion infantry tactics and airpower. Helicopters for whatever reason could still manage to dodge the missiles. the Russian never added a lock on feature to them, don't know if it was intentional or the missile couldn't keep the lock after it would warp. The brass wanted one and seemed willing to sacrifice any amount of infantry and helicopters to do it. So that's were I end up, in the troop bay of a rotor bird. Heh "rotor bird" just a stupid little nick name I like to call our helicopters. We were going to drop behind enemy line and try to seize one of the missile platforms used to fire the warp missile. They looked like a miniature version of the thing they transported the space shuttle on, Except with a lot more missiles. Plan was simple, the gunships would roll them up like a beetle on shit. Then the carriers would land and let us infantry go in and finish off anyone that's left. Simple right? Well a plan never survives contact with the enemy, there's a reason that's a saying. While the damned warp missile can't lock on the Russians sure have a lot of stuff that can and within moments of cresting the hill enemy Sam sites took out 3 of our gunships. Splitting our offensive punch in half. I was both lucky and unlucky enough to have gotten a window seat and I could see the enemy armor. There was far too much for the shoulder fired rockets we brought. I could see the gunships, their missile racks spitting death and their chain guns stitching crossfire into the enemy's ranks. They peeled off right on schedule, the amount of enemy dead was certainly not on schedule. But hey! Were infantry, we go where the fighting is the thickest and we win. The ramps dropped and time seemed to slow as rounds ricocheted all around the cargo bay. Before I knew it those who were alive made it out and the carriers peeled away taking a horrifying amount of flak as they ran. The pilots job was only half over, they still had to come back later when the job was done to pick up the wounded. Now on the ground our company had to cross a field full of flechette mines and razor wire. Forward we ran, straight into the gates of hell. It all passed by in a blur, though certain scenes will forever be burned into my memory. A squad of soldiers being torn limb from limb by a flechette. A soldier tangle in razor wire gunned down without a second thought, his lifeless corpse hanging in the wire. A flame thrower engulfing a group of Russian soldiers defending from a trench. And then before I knew it where at the base of the platform. Now the fun part, we launched our ascension cables watching as they wrapped around the guard rail before pulling taught. The small motor smoking from the speed and weight of a soldier in full combat gear. Over the top we went, I felt a small ting of pride.

" _so this is what my great grandfather experienced"_ I thought to myself. Yes, over the top indeed. I just hoped he was smiling down on me right now. That I'm doing him and all those who came before me justice, I certainly thought so. The platform had 2 tiers in its construction. a base for the massive treads underneath to support, and a smaller 2nd tier for the warp missiles to be stored and fired. We cleared the first tier easily enough though we continued to suffer heavy losses. We probably had less than a platoon left. The stairs were a death trap with gunners on the top, and mines along the stairwell but we had to go up and we already used our ascension cables. One of our grenadiers had an idea and grabbed the body of a nearby Russian soldier. He planned on using it like a riot shield, that's sick but it might just work. Before our leadership really had a chance to stop him he charged up the stairs detonating all the proximity mines along the stairs and sprawled into a grapple with one of the enemy gunners. We followed him up making short work of the enemy gunners at the top of this set of stair. The gunners at the top of the other stairs turned to engage us. We took cover unable to help the grenadier locked in melee combat. It was at this point the other team sent the only drone we had up the stairs sacrificing it to take out the mines. Followed closely by the remainder of our forces. Our two forces converged on a centralized enemy. We were to close though and friendly fire was a major concern. So we did the one thing that made sense, we charged. Pulling my knife from its sheath I ran at the nearest Russian soldier and knocked him to the ground with my soldier. Quickly scrambling on top of him I put all my weight behind the knife and forced it into his chest. And then I sat there watching this enemy soldier take his last breaths before his eyes glassed over, he looked like he was the same age as me. The rig was clear and the enemy armor taken care of now that the Russian anti air was silent. I took it all in, the death, the destruction, For what? So our nations could warp missile the crap out of each other? So many young soldiers died today. It doesn't seem worth it.

Sometime after securing the rig we got word from HQ that we had a very large enemy mechanized infantry group moving in on the rig.

"took em long enough" someone to my left said aloud

HQ wanted us to load up as many warp missiles into the carriers as we could. Considering the lack of bodies going home I hope they really get use out of all those missiles. We kept getting situation reports from a drone watching the enemy formation. The closer they got the more we felt like a bullseyes being painted on our backs. After what felt like an eternity the carriers returned. We wasted no time in loading up as many missiles as we could. I became clear very early on we couldn't take all of them. There simply wasn't enough time. The fifth carrier had taken off loaded to the brim with wounded and warp missiles when the first APC came over the hill with its auto cannon blazing. We planned for this however and moments later a shoulder fired rocket slammed into the side of the hardened steel hull of the APC.

"everyone gets on a carrier or be left behind, MOVE!" someone had screamed into the comms.

No one needed to tell me twice. I ran for all my worth for the carrier, more and more armored transports followed up the first one over the hill. The enemy soldiers disembarking and advancing to wipe out all those on their way to the carrier. We lost more soldiers than I would have liked, though the only number I would have liked would be 0. After what seemed like an eternity I'm at the ramp of a carrier and quickly haul myself inside. Turning I watch as the last 2 soldiers sprint for the safety of the carrier's troop bay. Everyone else is pouring rounds at the advancing enemy soldiers. I reach my hand out to pull them in and yell out to them. The farthest of the 2 ends up getting cut in half by a heavy machine gun. The last one was within grasp, before a spray of red burst from his chest. I could see the look on his face, such hope of safety only to have it snatched away at the last moment, his body fell just outside the ramp. I closed my eyes and slammed my fist into the ramp controls and it slowly closed up. I could feel the carrier lift off the ground and start hauling its metal rear end to get out of the warzone. I slumped into the seat and peeled off my helmet. I looked inside and noticed the blood caked on the helmet pads. I didn't know if it was mine or the Russian soldiers, or the soldier at the ramp. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back not sure how I should feel with the adrenaline still pumping. Suddenly there was the sound of an explosion and metal screeching. I looked down at the now spinning floor of the carrier at the warp missile sitting on the floor, with a very large piece of shrapnel sticking out of the middle and a visual distortion seeping out of the missiles wound. Another explosion rocked the carrier and the spinning increased, I felt something slam into me and I go numb at the impact site. I hear a weird noise mixed into the following explosion as the warp missile in the center of the craft detonates. The carrier hits the ground with loud and bone jarring crash and I am thrown from the cargo bay. My back hits something with a sickening bone snapping. I could hear people running around and the continued groaning of metal as flame consumed it. The last thing I remembered before blacking out was the sound of sirens and my vest being pulled as I started being dragged. Then blackness overtook me, good thing too because all I felt was pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Well well where do I begin. Well first off I'm actually going to proof read and format this before I post it next time. And secondly I found myself a proof reader to help me with this. So now on to the actual story, well I decided to go a different direction from what I originally had planned and luckily I would have had to start from this chapter to do the story I rewrote. I've taken what criticism I have had so far and applied that to what I plan on doing as well as getting the opinion from some of my good friends. So I hope you all like this new story I'm doing.

* * *

When I opened my eyes I don't know what I expected. A medic, whether enemy or friendly. The afterlife, whatever that may be. But the last thing I really didn't expect would defiantly be the face of a wolf in what appeared to be a police uniform. It seemed to jump just as much as I did. It stood up and backed away before someone else got its attention. running to help another creature down the street, this one a rhino holding up a section of aircraft so the wolf could drag someone out. I took in the scene around me finally, the square was filled with different animals in police and paramedic uniforms. Some desperately trying to do what they could for the wounded, a lot of them were crying. I was beyond confused; I couldn't be dead because I hurt everywhere, and for the most part I couldn't feel anything from the middle of my back down. That feeling of being dragged came back to me. I noticed the very long trail of blood leading from the light pole bent in from my impact.

A loud noise brought my attention back to the sky. A large black hole formed in the sky for the briefest of moments dumping a helicopter set aflame through it. The tail rotator had been hit and the aircraft was spinning wildly. It hit the ground with a bone jarring thud. Fuel was leaking everywhere and there were still soldiers inside, friendly soldiers and I was powerless to go help them. It had crashed down the road from the intersection the 1st helicopter landed. About half the animals started making their way to the second crash. Only pulling 1 body from the wreck before the thing was a blazing inferno. Those with extinguishers desperately trying to put out the rest. The rhino picked him up and carried him to me, gently laying him flat out on the ground before a pig and a deer threw him up onto a gurney. As soon as the doors closed the ambulance was away, screaming sirens the only thing that told it was even still in existence. It took me more time than it should have to register I had been lifted on to a gurney as well. Only realizing it when the doors had slammed shut and I could hear the faint sound of the sirens. I began to start thrashing around as the straps where tightened over my chest and legs. I started yelling at them, screaming enough profanities to make a sailor blush and kept trying to break free. Next thing I know they shoved an oxygen mask over my mouth and everything started going hazy. I kept fighting to break free even as most of my vision was black.

* * *

Three of Zootopias greatest doctors stood outside a 1-way window. One a brown bear named doctor Fishman, the next a doe named doctor Bleaton, and lastly a badger everyone simply calls Dave. The occupants of the room where two primate esc creatures the likes of which no one had ever seen. The relation between Zootopia and the Primates has always been shaky but never down right violent. Besides why crash two helicopters loaded with wounded soldiers into a populated area, what purpose did that serve.

"Well clearly they are using advanced technology, those aircraft and their gear is testimony to that. It far surpasses our militaries gear." fishman stated, though he had little knowledge on the subject.

"Yes but what about the symbols on their vests, what could those be?" doctor Bleaton spoke up

"Rank possibly, if they follow a rank structure like our military does" Dave said throwing in his two cents.

"And that rectangle symbol on their shoulder. We haven't been able to track it to any organization. Even with the help of the primates." Bleaton said

"I still don't trust them fully, remember what happened 4 years ago?" fishman said solemnly

"How could any of us forget" was Dave's blunt response

The group continued to talk outside the room. Inside both the primates where laid out on the beds both heavily sedated and armed guards posted outside with tranquilizer rifles.

"What of the primates in regards to medical?" Dave spoke up.

"There sending one of their best, so they say, a doctor named Chimperson. As well as a healthy amount of medical stock that we don't currently have such as blood. And lastly a archaeolexicologist so hopefully she can interpret what their saying" fishman spoke in a calm voice

"That's a mouthful" Bleaton said

"Didn't the first response crews get audio of the primates? From the ambulance I mean." Dave asked.

The other doctors shrugged their shoulders and mentally prepared themselves for the coming storm. They wouldn't show any of their results until these animals were awake at least. Once word got out that two of them had survived all hell would break loose, and the last thing they wanted was to post armed guards at the entrance to prevent near homicidal reporters from trying something stupid.

"Well… we'll wait for the primate's doctors to show up in three days then we'll get started on trying to patch those two up. In the mean time we have to watch and hope these primates are more resilient then most." The doctors left the room shutting off the lights as they left.


	3. Chapter 3 bombsuits and armidilos

All in all, I have gotten some pretty good feedback from this. Glad you all are taking an interest in this and in the future I'm going to try and keep to a schedule to get these pumped out at a faster rate. Or at least get them done by set dates. All right that's all I got, hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

It was a pleasant surprise to Fishman when Doctor Chimperson took it upon himself to contact the hospital for more information on the special cases. He had spent most of his yesterday gathering everything he thought he might need and even some that he didn't. he also gathered the medical records and as much information on any primate who resembled these special cases, though it wasn't much. Chimperson was currently in route to Zootopia general hospital on a plane and had decided to contact the hospital via a webcam and laptop. They had exchanged greetings and got right to business.

"Tell me doctor what is the condition of these two?" fishman shifted behind the other end of the camera looking for the digital file.

"All right the file should be sending to you now but I'll fill in on the basics. First off we haven't removed their clothing yet." Chimperson cut him off

"Why not fishman? Isn't that procedure?" the bear adjusted his glasses

"Normally yes However, the equipment they're wearing is military grade" Chimperson knew enough of his governments military to understand the term. Military grade is a description given to equipment that would be considered against the numerous treaties preventing the nations of this world from going to war. That level of gear was only allowed if another nation was attacked and had to defend itself. This wasn't an issue of the gear, but rather that they are in possession of the gear.

"Not only that but there are wires and cables we don't understand and the last thing I want to do is set off some kind of explosive." Fishman turned to address a nurse who had walked in. he finished with the armadillo and turned back to the camera.

"There are numerous other problems as well. Patient one has a broken back as well as four fractured ribs on its right side and seven on the left. Fractured shin and a broken right foot." Chimperson sighed heavily.

" _This is going to be a lot of work" he thought to himself_

"And what of patient two?" he asked

"Both arms have fractures along the forearm and biceps, this is most likely from it bracing itself from the impact. Multiple fractures along the rib cage and minor bleeding and burns. Luckily for us the areas that where bleeding are its arms and it had its sleeves rolled up."

"anything other injuries I should be made aware of?" Doctor fishman shifted behind the camera.

"With the vests in the way we can't complete a full body scan and see what's wrong with their internals, as well as their brains. They did suffer extreme impacts even with the helmets."

All things considered it wasn't the worst he's heard of. It would surely take time to heal and even more so to get these creatures back to a healthy condition.

"Then there's the military issue of this" fishman said breaking Chimperson train of thought

"What do you mean?" he asked

"These creatures. They look like they are prepared for war. I talked to the chief of police and you know what he said? He said he couldn't believe how well organized they looked. These two and all the others were ready for a fight. We are still trying to figure out what organization they belong too and as of right now none of them match the symbols we've seen on their armor."

Chimperson considered this. If they helped these two, then not only Zootopia but the primates as well would be dragged into whatever conflict they came from. And with how fishman had just described the gear he could not begin to imagine what the outcome would be. Fishman had his attention turned back to the room, this time a cape buffalo walked in.

"All right Chimperson I have to go now; we are attempting to get their vest off now I will update you when you land." Before Chimperson could say anything the connection cut out leaving the logo of the program siting there. He downloaded and opened the file containing the 300 some odd pages of medical paperwork. He looked at his watch and saw he still had 4 hour remaining in his flight. He had a lot of reading to do.

* * *

Doctor fishman turned to the chief of police, the buffalo taking up the second half of the room they were in. wordlessly they left the room and walked down the hall to the viewing room off to the side.

"Tell me Chief Bogo how do you plan to do this?" doctor fishman asked looking in to see an armadillo on a bomb suit step in. fishman stared in awe at the animal who so calmly walked towards what could be his death.

"don't worry about Ronsdo; he's one of our best bomb disposal officers." Chief Bogo said this with such confidence in his voice. Fishman otherwise didn't share this confidence. The armadillo worked painstakingly slow. Removing small pouches and checking them. Finally, there was nothing but an empty vest to remove. He started to undo the vest when I stop dead in his tracks and went to the top of the vest where he could see a cable. It was a simple metal cable coated in clear plastic.

"Chief think we might have something" the armadillo spoke into his headset.

"Small metal cable, unsure what it does." Now the confidence in the chief voice started to falter.

"You be careful Ronsdo the last thing I need is to tell you wife you got blown up again."

With much more enthusiasm then the chief would have liked Ronsdo started to undo most of the Velcro located all over the vest. Finally, he saw what he wanted to see.

"Ok chief it looks like this wire holds the thing together. I'm going to try and remove it see if we can get the vest off once it's in pieces." The armadillo started to set tools aside.

"All right Ronsdo but be car…" chief Bogo was cut off as Ronsdo not so professionally yanked the metal cable out of the vest. All of them watching as the front section fell to the floor with a hollow thud. Fishman sat down mouth wide open in pure shock, the chief on the other hand simply slapped his hand into his face as a very cheeky armadillo did the same to the other vest. he finished checking the remaining pouches and pockets being absolutely sure it was safe. Two more officers came in to remove the now harmless pieces of vest and gear lying around.

"Fangmeyer, Uncia I want that gear locked away in the armory asap. That doesn't mean stop of a coffee first!" chief Bogo directed the second part of that to the snow leopard. She gave a very charismatic grin and a shrug that said "why chief I haven't the slightest idea what your referring to"

" _first Wilde now that damn leopard, this is going to drive me nuts"_ the buffalo thought to himself.

* * *

Well I hope you all enjoyed the fruits of my labor. If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to leave a review or shoot me a pm.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	4. Chapter 4 Curious Friends

Chapter 4

Yesboss21 asks "What equipment grade do they have in a military level?"

To elaborate there's going to be civilian grade, police grade, military police grade and lastly military grade. Each grade going up has more deadly armaments and higher restrictions and laws. For example, civilian grade might be small caliber target pistols and air pistols while military grade are fully automatic and assault based weapons. It's simply a grading system to determine how deadly a weapon is and restricts anyone outside of that grade to use it. As to what can be put into each grade that actually comes into the story later.

As you can all clearly tell at this point I don't have a schedule even in the slightest. I think the gap between the first chapter and the second chapter was 2 weeks. And this one is coming out 4 or 5 days after the last one. The positive reviews are defiantly helpful and encouraging. Now I'm not promising that I'm going to start a schedule no the reverse actually. Work and life tend to get in the way of these projects of mine and I will get each chapter out as soon as I can. Until next time I hope you enjoy.

* * *

Doctor Chimperson was woken up after the plane had landed and most of the passengers had left, only the other primate that was sent with him remained to wake him up. Sarah oaken was a archaeolexicologist, she studied the ancestors of their people. Well there written language at least. If anything the primate brought more than doctor Chimperson did. The young monkey stood over the elderly doctor excited about the coming adventure.

"Come on doctor we need to get off the plane" she said this with the biggest of grins.

"Aright, alright give an old chimp a moment" he said shuffling his weight to get the seat up. A few minutes later doctor Chimperson and Sarah walked to the baggage claim. The whole way there the received curious glances from some of the mammals around them. Most had probably never seen a primate in their lives. When they did finally reach the claim area they were greeted by an officer his name plate said Mchorn.

"Ah doctor Chimperson I assume?" the rhino asked

"That would be me. I assume you're the officer that doctor fishman told me would help us?" the chimp certainly hoped so they had a lot of equipment to carry and the massive rhino would make it so much easier on his old joints. Sarah on the other hand was completely distracted by the various different mammals that likewise to them she didn't see very often. Including the rhino that towered over the both of them.

"Yep that's me" he said flatly.

"Well I hate to do this to you but could you help us carry our equipment there's quite a lot of it." The chimp started to look at the slowly rotating conveyer that was spitting out luggage. He started wondering why they hadn't seen any of their luggage.

"Actually doc we got your stuff off the runway when the plane came in, so I'm just here to get you two" the rhino said matter of factly. To the pleasant surprise of both the primates all they had to carry was the small bags they brought with them on the plane. It greatly amused Chimperson when Sarah had to be put in the back seat of the cruiser. She put on a show and everything shouting out

"And I would have gotten away with that cinnamon roll to if it weren't for those medaling kids!" the rhino simply rolled his eyes and shut the door. As he walked to the front seat she produced a cinnamon roll from her bag and decided to make sure everyone could see her eat it. Most people took it as a halfhearted joke and simply went about their business, a few just looked confused. After Chimperson got in and secured his seat belt they were off. It wasn't very eventful for Chimperson; they were taking a route he took the last time he was here for a big meeting with the world's top doctors. Though that was years ago and so much had changed since he'd been here last. Sarah on the other hand was even more excited than she was getting off the plane. Seeing all this for the first time and thinking about all the places she would go, what she would do and foods she would try. Before long they were dropped off at the hospital and the cruiser pulling away to continue his patrol.

"Alright Sarah lets go meet fishman and hopefully get our stuff in order" the older chimp said.

"right"

Walking inside they were greeted by a few unusual stares and a polite smile from the receptionist.

"Doctor Chimperson I assume. Doctor fishman asked you to wait down here I'll page him for you" the ewe said from behind the window.

"Thank you" as Chimperson and Sarah walked over to the seats to sit they heard the call over the intercom. They didn't have to wait long before fishman finally showed up. The massive bear making his way over to the chimp. Before anything could be said Chimperson was being crushed in one of the species infamous hugs.

"Chimperson you old goon it's been to long!" the bear exclaimed

"Mm mmmm mm mmm mmm mmm" the chimp muffled into the bears fur. After releasing the poor primate, he repeated himself.

"It's good to see you too" fishman turned his attention to the monkey. She stepped back assuming to be swamped by the same treatment as Chimperson but was pleasantly surprised to see the bear holding out a paw instead.

"How do you do miss?" he asked

"Oh! I'm Sarah oaken … the archaeolexicologist" she shied away a little

"There was a bit of a debate on how you say that field of study. Not every day you hear that one" fishman joked.

"Alright come on you two and I'll introduce you to our curious friends" fishman said

"Wait have they woken up?" Chimperson asked.

"No more like we can keep our attention off them" the bear responded. They continued talking about the patients mainly their condition and how it wasn't nearly as bad as they first estimated. As well as the added benefit of no internal or brain damage. Fishman was very concerned about the psychological part of all this and even had a doctor on his way from the outback district. The plan was very simple they were going to wait and see how well they healed and responded to the situation and then take it from there. It was hard to decide a definitive course of action with so many variables. Finally, they reached a room that Chimperson was familiar with the viewing room for an operation theater. What he saw in the next room over was the reason for him even being here. The two creatures laid out in front of him was hardly a surprise he had after all been reading all their medical paperwork over the last 4 hours before arriving. Sarah on the other hand couldn't believe her eyes. They didn't look quite like any primate she's ever seen their faces were more flat then others and there was one fact that was bothering her.

"Where is there fur? I've never seen a primate without fur"

"From what we've gathered so far they don't have very much fur. Certainly not enough to be effective in the winter. And looking at what they were wearing when they were recovered we assumed at first they were in a colder climate but it appears from the dirt on their clothes that it was an area similar to farm land or wild plains."

Fishman turned to a nearby table where there were multiple books, note pads and a few lumps of smooth plastic. All in various states of wear and tear. Doctor fishman gestured for Sarah to come over.

"This miss oaken is everything they had in their back packs that has writing on it. And it's been cleared by the police to be safe." Sarah walked up and examined the writing on the front of a note pad. It had similarities to what she studied but not nearly enough to where she could read it.

"Are these piles separate for a reason?" she asked fishman.

"Yes this pile is from patient A and the other patient B" he said gesturing to the pile on the right then the pile on the left. Sarah only nodded her head and began opening the note pad. She was greeted with a sketch of a vehicle. It almost looked like blueprints to something. There where what she could assume were numbers and arrows pointing to various places on the vehicle. Flipping the page, she saw an image of one of the creature's species. Dressed in a uniform and a dinner plate strapped upside to its head.

" _How strange"_ she thought

In its paws a long gun ending in a blade. There was something almost ceremonial about the uniform. She continued flipping through the sketch pad seeing various weapons vehicles and primates, all of which were sketched out as expertly as the last. She came across a few that where of animals she recognized but something was off about them. They walked on all four legs and didn't look normal, not only that they rarely had clothes on. On the last page was the only sketch not finished and a picture. The picture itself left her speechless. it was of five of the primates and a canine all wearing the same uniform and smiling at the camera. This isn't what shocked her though, it was the burning husk of the vehicle they were standing on and the forms of motionless primates all over the ground. Half in the uniforms of the ones in the picture and the other half in a different uniform. Craters and smoke where everywhere in the background scaring the landscape. She put the sketchpad down starting to tear up at the sight. Sarah felt a large paw gently lay on her shoulder.

"miss oaken are you alright?" the bear caught sight of what she was looking at and tensed up. She put the picture back onto the table and turned to focus all her attention on a different piece of writing. Chimperson looked at the picture understanding the younger monkey's behavior. The way they were posed looked like a sports team that finished 1st. He flipped it over and saw a sentence written on the back. Though he couldn't read it.

"Sarah it's been a long day. How about we leave this back here and go get some food then some rest and we'll start fresh tomorrow?" Chimperson asked hoping to ease her pain.

"alright … I'm good *sniff* I'm good. Just caught me off guard to go from such nice drawings to something so h-horrible" fishman just continued to comfort her to calm down

"come on miss oaken this can wait till tomorrow" as they left Chimperson put the image back onto the desk and left followed closely by fishman. Sarah stopped and thought for a second, thinking of Chimperson flipping the picture, before grabbing the image and tried to read the back. When it failed to reveal its secrets she put it back on the desk. It would take her a lot of hard work to figure out what it said. She was confident she could do it. She turned off the light as she left leaving the mystery lying in the dark.

" _last day I saw my brothers. Rest in peace Mack, Johnson, McNairy"_

* * *

Hope you enjoyed. Leave a comment if you want they really help me figure out what does and doesn't work. New characters and new possibilities oh what oh what do I have in store for you guys. Guess you'll just have to wait and see.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the Dropzone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	5. Chapter 5 Lazy Nurse

**Welcome back return viewers and hello to the individual who stumbled upon this because it caught their fancy. Working hard on this to try and get some of these chapters out a little sooner. I know what I said last chapter about not keeping schedule but maybe it's time so I can actually get these out regularly. I know I hate it when a good fanfiction is like 40 chapters in and it hasn't been updated in months. So I'll see how this week goes and take it from there. Without further ado because let's face it 78% of you skip this crap at the top anyway.**

 **Enjoy.**

 **also rutabaga.**

* * *

True to his word Chimperson took Sarah to get some food. Though he insisted on a restaurant with a better quality of food.

"Why a bug burger?" he asked her. She continued to walk to the door and stopped before opening it to say

"What? you can't say you don't want to try other places foods."

"True but why a fast food restaurant?" he asked

"Well we are probably gunna be here a while so … why not?" she asked cheekily

Entering the restaurant, they where greeted by a very busy environment. Mammals behind the counter running about trying to fill the orders as the dinner rush came in. they waited in line until it was her turn to order.

"Hi welcome to bug burger how can I help you?" the bunny on the opposite side of the counter asked.

"Yes I'd like a grilled cricket sandwich please. Oh and a small drink"

The bunny looked confused.

"I'm sorry you said grilled crickets?" he said awkwardly.

"Yeeeeeeesssss." Sarah said confused now.

"Umm ok that's typically something that only predators order but if that what you want … ok that will be five ninety-nine" he said accepting the paper money. She moved to the side waiting for her order to be finished while Chimperson just asked for a sweet tea. After getting their orders they went back outside and continued on the way to the hotel.

"So Sarah how do you plan on Tackling the language barrier?" Chimperson asked.

"Luckily patient A, who had the sketch pad, wrote next to the pictures with arrows pointing to various locations. so all I have to do is try to translate what its pointing at and I might have something to work with."

"Not a bad plan, if you ever need help I'll try my best but I know this is your field of study so it's understandable you don't want me butting in"

"What do you mean" she asked turning her head to look at him. He looked back at her

"Well no offense but how often does your field of study get to do something this important?" as he said this she looked down contemplating it for a moment. While its true archaeolexicology hasn't had very many breakthroughs recently it's not like she wouldn't welcome the help.

"No I understand what you mean, I would appetite any help you could offer"

They shared a smile before continuing down the road. At some point Sarah had finished her food and was enjoying a banana soda. It was a pleasant surprise the restaurant even had this flavor but she wasn't complaining. Soon enough they reached the hotel a few blocks away from the hospital. Without any issues at the desk they both made it up to their rooms the mayor of zootopia let them stay at until the issues were solved.

"Sleep good Sarah" Chimperson said before going into his room.

"You too" she said in return. It was late and they both had busy day tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning both Sarah and Chimperson made their way into the hospital eager to start their work. Sarah immediately grabbed both piles of books and papers and went into a side room. Immediately some music could be softly heard, a rhythmic boom every few seconds. Chimperson simply shook his head.

Don't know how these young ones can bear to listen to that stuff

Chimperson himself had a lot to do himself. The patients had yet to really show any signs of recovery since they have been in here. Entering the room, he began his usual preparations washing his hands, laying his equipment out so it was easily accessible and a few other things. Finally, he started checking on the monitors the patients were hooked up to. He didn't know what the normal body temperature for these mammals was, but 104 seemed very high. Both of them in fact where showing signs of a very high fever.

"Shit!" Chimperson swore to himself. He should have thought of sickness when they came in. these mammals aren't from here and their bodies don't know how to fight it. Quickly crossing the room, he pushed the intercom.

"Any nurse available I need 2 IV solutions in special patient room 342 B" he returned to the Cupboard on the wall retrieving two small towels and soaking them with cold water. He placed them on their foreheads before going back to their monitors to check for anything else that might be wrong. After a few minutes a zebra came in carrying about 10 bags of IV solution just in case Chimperson needed more.

"Thank you, I think I can handle it from here" Chimperson said. The nurse left after a brief nod

"If you need anything else page the front desk for me, my name is Jefferson." The zebra left after that. No doubt he had many more patients he needed to attend too. All Chimperson could really do at this point was wait for their fever to break, but that could be days. Walking to the first patient he began inserting the iv finding it extremely easy because of the mammal's lack of fur. After inserting the IV's he sat down and pulled out his book from the plane ride, some cheesy romance novel but it was a good time passer.

* * *

Some 4 hours later he glanced at his watch. One in the afternoon, maybe he should go check on Sarah. As he left he check on the patients again who haven't gotten any worse. turning the temperature down in the room Chimperson left to walk down the hall to the nurse's station.

"Excuse me?" he asked the elephant behind the desk.

"Yes doctor?" she relied

"Can you do me a favor get Jefferson to check on our special patients down the hall every once in a while? I have to check on my friend"

"Sure thing doc, the slacker could use some exercise" the last part she mumbled under her breath. With a chuckle Chimperson left saying thank you as he went. Down the hall you could hear the muffled booms of Sarah's music. As he opened the door she must have been switching songs because it stopped.

"Sarah?" he asked looking around at the room. It was a mess, papers everywhere and pinned to the walls in various locations that made no sense to Chimperson. Sarah on the other hand had been franticly searching for what he could assume was a note or paper she had lost

"Ha! I guess that why your field hasn't had a breakthrough in a while. You can't find you own breakthroughs in the clutter!" Chimperson teased

"Oh shove it up your rear Tyler!" she snapped back

"Oh my! First name? I haven't had that happen since the last time my mother yelled at me." He looked around hoping he might find what it was she was looking for before a final triumphed

"Ah HA! Found ya!" she yelled out. Holding a posted note in the air like a trophy, she quickly ran back to the desk and placed in on a cork bored covered in posted notes.

"Chimperson! I got something to show you!" she pulled the bored straight up so he could see it.

"May I present the special patients alphabet!" she yelled out excitedly. He was impressed it had only been 4 hours and she's made this much progress.

"Sarah that outstanding! You figured out what each of them mean and sound like?" now the smile faded from her face.

"Well … not exactly … I kind of just got the alphabet, don't even know if it's in order honestly" she seemed deflated.

"Hey Sarah don't beat yourself up you still got pretty far in just 4 hours. Keep this pace up and im sure you could have this language decoded by the end of the week." Chimperson said encouragingly.

"Come on it about time we both had a break." He said gesturing to the open door. Sarah left her work where it was. There days were going to be busy for this entire week.

* * *

 **Thanks again to everyone who throws a comments and review my way it really helps. I know this one was a little shorter but don't worry I'm already halfway through the next one. Things certainly get interesting.**

 **Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!**

 **LtSolarFlare signing off**


	6. Chapter 6 satisfying bathroom experience

**So now that this hectic as hell week is over I've finally decided that I'm going to post a chapter every Sunday. (except today. And yes ill have one done this Sunday as well) So that way when I wake up Saturday and forgot to do the story I can scramble to get it done (:P) so other than that I just hit 1000 views a couple days ago and am so excited about that. The stories not even that old and already hit 1000. I would love to reach 5000 by chapter ten. Hey! An author can dream can't he? Anyway without further ado I give you chapter 6.**

* * *

For roughly 2 weeks Chimperson and Oaken had worked hard on their separate tasks. For the most part the special patient's condition was improving and no more signs of them being sick. After the first week of nonstop fevers Chimperson only had to apply new bandages and clean wounds. Both of the patients making a startlingly quick recovery. Sarah had continued to make small break throughs into the patient's language though without having heard it be spoken she had no idea how to pronounce most of the words, though she was confident she could at least communicate in writing. It was a week before the media got ahold of the footage shot from police on scene. Sure the news companies had footage of the crashes and the destruction but they didn't have the up close and gritty stuff they drooled over. The chief of police decided this information was probably going to get out eventually with the doctors telling him the special patients were going to be woken up soon. The public went nuts. Everything from protests to riots. Patriots demanding blood and even mammals going from hospital to hospital trying to snap pictures. Needless to say the police force had their hands full for a week as everyone had to throw their two cents in on the appearance of these primates. Things had started to calm down in and around Zootopia when chief Bogo let a single news station in to get a look at the primates. Seeing them still alive and kicking calmed the public down as did doctor Chimpersons presence and calming words. No one realized today would be the day Zootopia would welcome their new guests.

* * *

The first thing I remember coming back to me was my sense of hearing. A sharp rhythmic beeping is all I heard. Me thinking it was an alarm clock I clumsily slapped at the nightstand I assumed was next to me. The sound of a tray and some sort of paste hitting the floor and the continued beeping told me it wasn't an alarm clock. The next sense that came back to me was my bladder. It felt like I hadn't taken a wiz in weeks. Reluctantly getting out of bed I stumbled my way into the bathroom eye still fuzzy from sleep. After a very long and very satisfying bathroom experience I walked to the sink. At this point my eyes and other senses where starting to clear up. Seeing my reflection for what felt like the first in a long time.

"Jesus it looks like I haven't shaved in weeks!" I said quietly to myself. I noticed a lot of the healed scars and burns along my arms neck and face. And it all started coming back to me. The mission, the crash, the … wolf? Was that real? I never did get the whole furry thing but I know what I saw. I started the water and splashed some cool water over my face, it felt really nice. That's when I noticed what was behind me in the mirror. A zebra … in a set of scrubs … mouth open in shock. As I turned around it quickly bolted out the room and I could hear shouting from outside.

"Did I just fucking see that?" I asked myself rubbing the tired out of my eyes. I walked back into the other room and finally got a good look at it. A standard hospital room one other patient in it clearly a human. His face was half covered in bandages. Before I could dwell on it the door opened. I half expected this to be some weird prank the squad was playing on me. That's when the zebra and now a monkey walked in the monkey wearing a doctor's coat. Well certainly not what I expected. They walked in chatting, a bored unimpressed expression on the monkey and terrified on the zebra. When the monkey saw me however it went straight to shock. There we stood neither quite sure what to do and me not knowing if I was ever awake right now. Shit … am I in one of those everything is normal but I see everyone as animals? I looked behind me at the bed, nope he was still human. Turning around I saw the monkey and zebra still standing there. Though the shock had seemed to wear off and I was more just uncertain. Wait could hallucinations be selective? I reached down and pinched myself on the arm just to be sure if I was dreaming. When I felt the sharp pain in my arm, I almost wish I hadn't. the monkey said something to the zebra and he looked all too eager to get the hell out of the room. I didn't understand it even in the slightest. The monkey adjusted his glasses and motioned towards the bed I woke up on. It … wants me to lay back down? I just stood there confusion taking ahold of me.

* * *

Doctor Chimperson had been doing his typical morning routine. Check on Sarah, get a coffee from the staff lounge, go check on the patients. This was his routine for the past 2 weeks. So when Jefferson came charging in rambling on about the patients Chimperson was a little annoyed.

"Jefferson I haven't even gotten my coffee yet this better be good"

The zebra continued to ramble endlessly all the while pulling or pushing Chimperson towards a room he was already on his way to. When he opened the door however he was absolutely shocked to see one of the patients standing in the middle of the room. Immediately its facial emotion changed to that of confusion as well. He really hoped that Sarah's interpretation of their language was ready to go because now they needed it.

"go get oaken" Chimperson said quickly and quietly to the zebra. He nodded before making a hasty retreat out of the room. Now Chimperson had to be careful he had no idea how violent these creatures could be. He adjusted his glasses and motioned towards the bed. This was the patent with the supposed broken back after all. And that fact still amazed Chimperson that the patient made it to the bathroom and back on his own. He looked down to see small trails of blood running down his arms where the needles had been ripped out of his arm.

 _Didn't he feel the needles get yanked out of his arm._ Chimperson thought to himself

He still had yet to move when Sarah came in mouth and tail going a mile a minute and a stack of papers in her arms. The moment she saw the patient looking at her she instantly stopped. The whole room just sat there and stared at each other.

"what … what should I tell him?" Sarah asked

"we need to be careful and not scare him. He's in a place he doesn't understand."

After a few minutes of thinking Chimperson finally said

"ok Jefferson go get that psychologist from the outback district they brought in. Sarah I want you to ask him to sit back down."

Jefferson quickly left again his hoof steps slowly fading away. Sarah began writing down the message on a small white bored. When she finished she turned it around. Everyone in the room held their breath. This was first contact with a new species.

* * *

I didn't understand what was going on. These were creatures that couldn't speak the same way we can. Yet here they are walking talking and hell even drinking coffee like us. When the newest individual walked in I didn't know what to make of it. Clearly a monkey, a white ring of for around an otherwise bare face and a tail. So what did that make the other monkey? Different species? I was so engrossed in my thinking I hadn't realized I had been standing there for a few minutes staring at the floor. My attention was brought back up when I heard one of them clear their throat. I looked up and saw the second monkey holding a white bored with a simple message on it.

Pleas sit down

Now i was confused. Not only am i in a word where these creatures shouldn't be doing the things humans can do, but now they actually have a grasp on our language? They wanted me to lay back down. I thought about it why would they want that? I looked at the bed i woke up on then at the other human in the room. He wasn't being held against his will or tied down. In fact if it were not for the zebra i wouldn't have suspected anything out of the ordinary. I heard the monkey behind me squeal making me turn around instantly. She (i'm assuming) was bouncing up and down mouth chattering in a language i didn't understand. It sounded nothing like what i remember monkeys sounding like.

"what the hell?" i softly mumbled to myself. Now i was the one being assaulted by stares. The monkeys had a quick conversation before the female started writing something else on the bored. She was interrupted by two more animals entering the room. One a koala, and the second having to bend over to enter the room was a buffalo. Easily a good 2 feet taller than me. That's not what really got my attention, what did get my attention was his belt or more accurately the sidearm in its holster.

* * *

When the primate turned his head towards the bed Sarah instantly went nuts.

"oh my god! Chimperson did you see that! It works! my translations WORKS!" Chimperson had begun shaking his head as the primate continued to look around the room. Before noticing Sarah's outbursts and speaking up itself. The group couldn't understand what he said but he was clear as day that it spoke.

"Sarah? See if you can get him to write what he's saying down? The monkey began furiously writing out the message on the whiteboard. Interrupted when the outback districts doctor walked in followed closely by zootopias chief of police. Instantly the atmosphere changed the primate's stance went from relaxed to tense. The only thing Sarah could think was the primate seemed to be staring at the police chief's belt.

* * *

Chief Bogo had been visiting one of his officers in the hospital, a brown bear name alexander who was relatively new. He had been here with a broken leg and a concussion from an attempt to arrest a drunk rhino. when a call on the intercom called for the doctor from the outback district Bogo started making his way to the primate's room.

 _The only reason that he was being called has to be those primates_. Bogo thought to himself.

He rounded the corner and caught up with a koala before they made it to the room.

"I have to say Bogo I'm less worried now that you're here" the koala said.

"whys that doctor Ashmore?" Bogo asked in return

"you ever been throw into a world you never knew existed? well this creature suffered a very traumatic event lost who knows how many of its kind and these two are probably the only one of their kind in our world. Needless to say he might not be fully logical in his decisions. He probably thinks none of this is real."

Chief Bogo considered this and found he couldn't think of anything to input. The koala was right. They continued to walk for a small distance until they reached the room. First doctor Ashmore then chief Bogo. When he walked in he looked at the creature. He was furless for the most part just the small patch on the top of his head. he stood like the primate doctors but less hunched over. His eyes went from each of the doctors and chief Bogo before settling on Bogo. His expression went from one of uncertainty and bewilderment to one of anger and determination. Bogo had seen that look all too many time in his officers. The creature looked down at Bogo belt. Bogo looked down to see it had spotted his police sidearm. For what seemed like an eternity chief Bogo and the primate stared at each other, one daring the other to look away first. A game neither intended to lose.

* * *

Ok so sorry this is jumping to and from multiple points of view and very minor time skips. Promise that won't be happening in future chapter. Anyway my biggest concern is the switch from 1st to 3rd person throughout most of this so some feedback on that would be nice. And that's all I got for you guys and gals. Hope you enjoyed and see you next week.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	7. Chapter 7 bogos bloody nose

**GREETINGS TROOPERS! Hey look at this I'm actually getting this done when I said I would. Huh. Anyway I again apologize for getting this out a day late and I even managed to get a little bit of chapter 8 done as well. So again reviews thus far have been either really helpful criticism or telling me their general enjoyment of this story. The only thing that has been a negative has been the first chapter's lack of editing and the fact it's a massive block of text. So in the near future I'm going to go and a reformat that ugly mess. Nothing story wise will change but when I do update it I'll let you know so you can go back and enjoy the carnage and bloodshed all over again. Maybe throw a little more detail in and remove some other detail but the issue is mainly just the formatting issue. I am open to people sending me ocs at this time and I'll let you know if they could fit into the story or how to alter them just a tab bit to allow them to fit. They don't need to have an animal pun surname however. The only thing I ask is to include the basics. Species, name, sex, occupation, so on and so forth. If you can link me an image over something like deviant art that would be even better. OH! Also no human ocs please. Alright without further ado I present the almost on time chapter 7!**

OOO

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Both chief Bogo and the patient refused to look away before the other did. They stood there for a while like this before doctor Ashmore spoke up.

"Bogo you need to leave now!" he whispered harshly. The large buffalo was taken aback by this and turned to address the small bear.

"You can't be serious doctor" Bogo said flatly his nostrils flaring with agitation.

"Oh I am Chief Bogo, he wasn't even tense before you walked in and will respond aggressively with you here. Out. now!" the koala started, rather ineffectively, shoving chief Bogo out the door. The buffalo gave the patient one last glance before leaving feeling like he lost somehow. The tension in the room slowly disappearing as the patient started to relax. Not nearly as relaxed as before Bogo walked in.

"Miss oaken please be very careful he's really agitated now" the small bear said to the monkey. She simply nodded and continued writing her message on the bored. Meanwhile the patient continued to stare. Once she was done Sarah quickly put it on the patients bed and retreated to the back of the room where the door was. The patient took the white bored and looked at it for a while. Glancing up at them and back down at the bored. Finally, he rubbed the marker off with his hand and picked up the marker to write on the bored. Quickly writing a message he held it out to the group which Sarah hesitantly stepped forward to take. When she looked at it she read the message aloud.

"It says "water" … what does that? … "she looked up to see the patient mimicking the motion of drinking out of a cup of water. Jefferson sensing the ability to get out of the room immediately volunteered to go get a bottle of water. Chimperson proceeded to role his eyes and turn to the small bear next to him to discuss what they should do next. Sarah had begun writing out a new message on the bored. They all thought how the situation couldn't be going better. They were communicating with the patient and he seemed to have calmed down since chief Bogo left the room. The one thing everyone in the room failed to notice was the fact that no one was watching the patient, everyone however but the patient himself.

OOO

I really hadn't realized just how thirsty I was until that moment. And when the monkey put the white bored with a marker onto the bed I thought this would be a great chance to get some. Clearly they could read English however the fact that the buffalo was right outside this room still had me on edge. I knew at any moment he could come in here and draw his weapon. I guess that's what 5 years of always having a rifle on you will do, you feel powerless and naked without it … never mind the fact I pretty much am naked. I picked up and read the white bored.

"Anything you need?" I stared at the bored for a few moments before wiping it off with my hand and picking up the marker.

"Water" I wrote the word out with the intention of making it as simple as possible. I mean "water" it's pretty self-explanatory and let's face it they have probably dealt with other people … wait … animals? I suppose that's the correct term? Ok they've dealt with animals waking up after a couple of weeks under. I held out the white bored to the monkey. She was very hesitant to move at first and after a few tense moments she walked forward and took the bored reading it out loud in their language. When she looked up at me in confusion I mimicked drinking out of a cup. The zebra was instantly out of the room. I don't think he likes me very much. That's when I noticed several things with my brain still being in soldier mode. The doorframe was wood, that meant I could easily shoulder ram it open. The second thing I noticed was that with the zebra gone that left two primates and a koala in the room. The third and probably the most important was by far the absolute need to run that I felt. I didn't know where the sense of danger was coming from but without my rifle I felt completely powerless to it. The monkey looked down to write on the bored the other monkey was talking to the koala. I took my shot and rushed the door.

OOO

Chief Bogo had been sitting patiently outside the room, he was rather furious at the small bears outburst towards himself but he couldn't quite blame the small tree hugger. He decided to go about this professionally and calmly tell the doctor his thoughts on being treated the way he did. It's not the first time an official from the outback district was known to cause a ruckus within the ZPD. They were all very short tempered. If Bogo was to be honest with himself, he was more angry at the patient than anything else. He felt he somehow lost his dominance with having to look away from the smaller creature. And it pissed him off to no end.

"Great first Wilde, then Uncia, now the fucking hairless monkey" Bogo grumbled to himself. At this rate he was going to have a heart attack. Knowing himself he would probably just get more pissed. He closed his eyes and began to breathe deeply like his anger councilor told him to do. Only to be interpreted by the sound of wood splitting and a loud crash. Moments later a medium sized shape slammed into Bogo midriff knocking the wind out of him completely. Looking down he saw the patient scrambling to his feet. Immediately Bogo went into police mode and put his paw to the center of his back and pushed down. Lying belly to the floor the patient really had nowhere to go. Bogo began to reach for his belt to secure the patients wrists. Suddenly the patient kicked out with both legs catching the old buffalo in the ankle and quickly rolling out from under Bogo before his weight would have simply crushed the patient. Bogo cursed to himself at the rookie mistake of leaving his ankles open for a kick. He was so sure that the patient would be weak after 2 weeks of being in a hospital bed. The patient at this point had already stood up and began to run. Bogo, ignoring the pain in his ankle gabbed the patient by the leg catching him halfway down the shin causing him to trip. Before Bogo even had time to smirk the patient had twisted around in his grip and freed his leg. Followed quickly to a vision jarring kick to Bogo snout that left him holding nose in agony. The soft patting could be heard as the patient fled down the hall. All of this happened of course within a few moments. As Chimperson and Sarah exited the room they saw the beaten and bloodied nose police chief lying on the ground swearing. Chimperson immediately went to check on chief Bogo, Sarah on the other hand went to the phone on the wall. Typing in 49 to call over the loudspeakers in the entire building

"Security staff to special patient room 342 B" within 10 minutes a team of 5 of the hospitals security staff was standing around the room the first patient had broken, quite literally, out of.

"We don't know where he went or how far he's gone. We can assume he's still in the hospital and we have units from the ZPD coming over to comb the streets around the hospital. I want medium mammal size tranqs for this." Bogo sat there explaining all of this to the security team. All the while fishman sat there putting bogos leg into a boot to allow him to walk. Having found out the patient was the one who managed too best Bogo was disconcerting to all the security team.

"All Right, move out" he said. Deep down however Bogo was beyond pissed off at this point the heart attack should have set in but he thought his anger was scaring it away. He just had to take deep breathes and relax the security team understood the seriousness of the situation and where more than able to handle this patient. He had complete confidence in them. He immediate picked up his radio.

"Hopps, Wilde, Wolford, hospital now … bring the rookies too" Ya … not that much confidence. If they were going to do this right, he needed Hopps' enthusiasm and Wolfords nose. The other two because they happened to need experience and he felt this was relatively safe. Within moment the radio crackled

"did the big bad buffalo miss me?"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH UNCIA!"

It was going to be a long day.

OOO

OH NO! the patient has escaped. What will Zootopia doo! Will the officers bogo called in find the patient. Will chief bogo ever calm down?! Will Jefferson ever comeback with the bottle of water. Tune in next time for the stunning conclusion!

Ha! But no in all seriousness this was really difficult to finally decide on how I want to go about doing this. Im happy with the result and I hope you guys are too.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	8. Chapter 8 no comment about that racoon

**GREETING TROOPERS! Had a big storm where I was last night and the internet shit the bed. So I know it's a day late but here is chapter 8. For some reasons I decided to delete then repost chapter 7 so it never went to the front of the update list. So please make sure you went back and read the previous chapter. Other than that I don't have much else for you guys so please enjoy.**

* * *

Judy just continued giggling at the snow leopards comment. Nick meanwhile just had his usual smirk plastered across his face.

"I told you, you're a bad influence on her" she quickly handed nick a coffee cup from the break room. He simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Not my fault she's taken to copying my brand of sass" he said in reply

Judy rolled her eyes and they both left in search of the others. It wasn't long before they found the other three officers waiting be the front door. Wolford had been helping Berkley in scent tracking. German shepherds weren't particularly known for their sense of smell but like most canines with a bit of training they can be very competent trackers. They all waved when they saw the smaller duo approaching.

"Hey Hopps hey Wilde!" Uncia yelled out excitedly. Berkley and Wolford waved and said simple greetings.

"So any idea what the chief wants us at the hospital for?" Berkley asked. They all began walking outside to the waiting police cruisers.

"Not sure but it can't be that bad if they have you two coming with us" Nick said. Judy and nick got in the cruiser modified to animals their size. Berkley, Uncia and Wolford meanwhile got into the other cruiser. The two cruisers pulled out onto the main road. About 5 minutes later the two cruisers pulled into spots set aside for police cruisers at the hospital. Nick and Judy got out before the other officers did. Nick got out and stretched acting as if he just woke up.

"Jeeze carrots that car ride was so long! I though my butt might fall off if I didn't stand up soon." Judy simple rolled her eyes and motioned with her head in the direction of the hospital.

"Alright everyone let's see what buffalo butt wants" nick said to the others as Judy entered the hospital.

* * *

The moment they saw Chief Bogo with a boot on and some dried blood on his snout all joking went right out the window. If chief Bogo was as messed up as he was than this was no laughing matter.

"Wilde, Uncia I swear no comments out of you for the entire week or so help me I'll … "he was quickly cut off by Judy.

"Sir are you ok?"

"Oh yes physically I'm fine, my pride on the other hand is a different story" Uncia had her ears down typically she enjoyed poking fun at the old buffalo but not when he was down like this.

"I am sure your aware of the special patients that are being held here" he snorted as each officer nodded their heads

"well one of them woke up and wasn't nearly as hurt as we thought. For whatever reason he seemed to try and size up to me when I entered the room. The behavior doctor ordered me out and he calmed down. Then burst through the door broke my ankle and bolted on down the hall. Now personally I don't think the security here is up to the task. Officer Berkley I want you leading the tracking effort, I want to know if all that training you and officer Wolford went through is paying off."

Both officers nodded in acknowledgment.

"Officer Uncia you need experience so you officer Wilde and officer Hopps will help search the hospital as well." The rest of the officers nodded as well.

"One last thing set you dart guns to medium sized animals and do not under any circumstance underestimate this mammal. He managed to get the best of me" he signaled for them to go with a final huff as the nurse nearby tended to his snout.

* * *

"Ok Berkley when tracking a suspect what the first thing you do?" Wolford asked quizzing her.

"Oh come on that's an easy one, find a place they have recently been and attempt to find a scent." Wolford nodded and opened the door to the patient's room.

"Ok now once you have a scent then what?" he asked her.

"Match it to a species" she said confidently

"Good, now then let's see what these primates look like shall we?" entering the room he was greeted by a monkey a chimp and a koala. He stopped and took a look at the other primate still in his bed. His face was half covered in bandages and Wolford himself couldn't get a very good look at him. The rest of the officers filed in as Berkley went to the now empty bed.

"Is this the bed the primate was on?" she asked the chimp in the room who simply nodded. Berkley went about gathering as strong a scent as possible. While Berkley was busy doctor Chimperson went about explaining the situation to the other officers. Mainly how the patient seemed defensive towards chief Bogo but not himself or the others in the room. The doctor from the outback district began speaking to them as well.

"He's terrified, he has woken up in a place he doesn't understand and is probably surrounded by creatures he never knew existed. All I'm asking is try to look as none threating as possible." The koala explains calmly.

"Wolford I think I got his scent read to start when you are." Berkley made her way over to the door followed closely by the others.

"Alright Berkley chief gave you lead on this one." Officer Berkley gave a quick nod and lead the group out of the room.

* * *

When I finally stopped running I was in the basement of the hospital. The dirty grim filled hallways for some reason made me feel a little bit better about my situation. Though in all honesty the walls on either side and the dirt and grim, it had to be that comforting feeling of being in a trench on the front lines. Knowing in the trench your safe, get out of the trench and your dead. I stumbled around down here for what felt like about an hour before I reached a small break room that looked like it hadn't been used in quite some time. A good layer of dust settled everywhere. This must have been where most of the maintenance workers went when on break but that didn't explain the clear absence of activity. I sat down on the couch and gave a good long think about my current situation.

 _Clearly I am in a different world and I don't think I've gone crazy._

 _So what's my issue here besides the talking animals, let's work through this brain_

 _Well clearly you shouldn't be talking to yourself._

 _Ok let's chat up the fridge …_

 _Ok talking to yourself is fine._

 _That's what I thought._

First issue can I get back … do I want to go back? What's there for me if I do go back, war, a quick death, a country that threw my life away for some technology. But as bad as it is that place is still my home, I swore an oath I'd defend it. What if I can't go back? Does that oath mean anything then? What about anyone else that made it through. If we can come here clearly there's a way for us to go back. But for us to go back we need to detonate a warp missile and the exact circumstances as the first time. I am not willing to go through that again. So is that it? Do I just accept this is my home now? I sat there and pondered it for a while.

 _Ok let's say that being here is a fact just for shits and giggles now what?_

 _The hell you asking me for?_

 _I hate you brain._

 _Ok ok calm down. So you can't go back that means you're going to have to make the best of things here._

 _Well that means I have to learn the language._

 _The monkey clearly figured that out while you were sleeping._

 _Ok then what? I still need to eat. What's my plan if I stay here?_

 _That ones on you._

 _Great thanks for helping me out so much._

 _No problem … though you might want to go back and help the other guy._

At the realization I face palmed. I had left the other soldier in the room, though It would probably be better for him to be there and get the care he needed than me try and rescue him and put his life in danger. At that point I made up my mind I would try to survive here as best as I could and if the opportunity presented itself for me to go back I'll take it. Now the only problem is the fact that I probably assaulted an officer. Ok one step at a time, quickly getting up I opened the door to the old break room and entered the hall. The all to familiar feeling of trench life putting me more at ease than it really should have. I heard the click of a door opening and looked to my left, back the way I came. Through the door came 3 canines a rabbit and a feline. My first instinct was run but I just told myself I'd try to make this work. They came into the hallway and one by one stopped and stared. How does one defuse this situation, I probably attacked their sergeant. They were probably 100 feet down the hall. I saw the sidearm on their belts and that need to run to get to someplace safe came back in force. I physically flinched and I could see they thought I was going to run as well. They began speaking amongst themselves, probably on how to best handle this situation. They stood there for a while chatting before the leading canine, a German Shepard, put her side arm on the ground. She held up her hands … paws? Off to my right down the hallway I had yet to explore I heard what sounded like a rubber band snapping and a sharp pain in my upper arm. I yelped, quickly Yanking the dart out of my arm I turned around to see a smug looking racoon.

 _That little shit just shot me … this little shit just shot me! … oh when I get my hands on that racoon I'm going tooooooooooooooooooooooo_

*smack*

* * *

Berkley had led the other officers on a wild goose chase throughout the hospital. She and even Wolford was surprised she could even track the scent with how many twists and turns the patient had taken leading them from the third floor up to the fourth then dropping strait down to the basement. By the time they reached the maintenance stairs it had been roughly 3 hours since chief Bogos scuffle with the patient. Judy had managed to keep nicks smart mouthing to a minimum despite the seriousness of the situation the fox took a little comfort in his wise cracks. Uncia, Wolford, and Berkley where also deadly serious in finding this mammal. When they came upon a barely lit maintenance stairwell though of horror movies crossed all their minds.

"Don't worry guys this is the old maintenance area that the staff would use. Since they built the new one they don't use this very often." Wolford said breaking the silence.

They contained down the stair until they reached an old rusted door. Wolford pointed to the floor where a set of grimy footprints could be seen. They opened the door slowly and found the patient they were looking for just coming out of a room down the hall. He turned their way a flinched, but otherwise stayed where he was. The group of officers stopped and stared none of them got a good look at the other patient before they went searching now they had a good view of the mammal. What shocked most of them was the fact the mammal was mostly hairless. He stared at them and they stared at him. Now all they had to do was attempt to get him back up to the room.

"ok so let's try to coax him back upstairs and back up to the room." Judy suggested. The rest of the officers nodded. Berkley decided to chime in.

"maybe one of us should go up and leave their dart gun. Remember what chief said how he reacted when he saw chiefs sidearm?" the rest were hesitant on this one.

And the others voiced their concerns, Berkley however was unfazed after all she had 4 other officers as backup. She had just finished setting down her dart gun and began holding up her paws when the patient yelped and swatted at his arm. Holding out a small dart Berkley finally saw the small racoon on the other end of the hall looking all too smug. The patient had a brief moment before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and proceeded to slump to the floor as the drugs worked their way through his system. They all ran up to the now unconscious primate.

"And you are?" asked Judy. The racoon looked up from the patient he just darted.

"oh I'm Termus I'm part of the hospital security" he said as he hooked the dart gun back onto his belt.

"and what where you doing down here?" she asked him.

"well this mammal chased me down here, or rather I think he was running and we both happened to go the same way. I had to hide down the hall a couple of hours ago. When I heard the door open down the hall I figured it was one of the hospital security, really glad it was you guys." The racoon explained. Meanwhile nick and Wolford radioed to chief Bogo letting him know what just happened and they had the patient in custody. They brought the patient back to the room and chief Bogo proceeded to handcuff both unconscious patients to the hospital bed.

* * *

So I've been getting some pretty good criticism for this story. However, I would really appreciate more input on what does and doesn't work. So anyway that's it for this week.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	9. Chapter 9 lost in translation

GREETING TROOPERS! So first off big shout out to ADutchMarine for your constant input on this story. You get a rutabaga. Now then for some odd reason my dumb rear end can't get a chapter out on Sunday to save my life. So I'm very heavily considering just saying screw it and posting these chapters on Monday. Please let me know what you think would be better.

OOO

"So what's our next course of action doctor?" chief Bogo asked a hint of satisfaction in his view for hand cuffing the patient to the bed. The older chimp gathered a few documents from the counter nearby.

"well it's pretty much back to wait for him to wake up" Chimperson said not looking up from the papers in his hand.

"with him in a cell you mean?" Bogo huffed.

"oh not at all. You can't really hold him accountable for what happened a few hours ago chief Bogo." Chief Bogo huffed in annoyance. He wanted nothing more than the satisfaction of throwing this creature in a cell for assaulting an officer. But that was more his pride crying out for revenge than any actual justice.

"besides from what your officers told me he was fine when they approached him … tense but not aggressive. And let's face it the wolf would know, they can read body language very well." If this kept up chief Bogo would go through his monthly supply of annoyed huffs by the end of the day. Doctor Chimperson turned to Sarah and told her to keep improving her grasp of the language. She immediately flipped open a note book from one of the patient's packs and was face down in it instantly. He asked Doctor Ashmore what the next thing they should try when the patient wakes up again.

"honestly I think the best course of action would still be communication. I hope that the next time he wakes up he will have at least calmed down." The small bear spoke. A silence came over the room, finally broken by chief Bogo.

"I'm going to leave two of my officers here just in case but I have to return to the precinct"

OOO

"see Berkley you did great!" Judy said. They had been talking about the strange creature they had helped put back into the room about an hour ago. Suddenly the chief came out of the room looking all too sour for their liking. He glanced at the officers around him before speaking to the 2 newest rookies.

"Uncia, Berkley you two will stay here and make sure nothing stupid happens again." The two officers nodded.

"Wolford, Hopps, Wilde continue whatever duties you were assigned earlier." The angry buffalo stormed down the hallway and out of sight, leaving behind 5 officers certainly glad to not have to be anywhere near him. Wolford was the first to leave his partner having pulled up to the front of the hospital. With a farewell he left the group. Not soon after Judy and nick decided it would be best if they left to continue their patrol duty.

"see ya later Uncia, later Berkley!" Judy chimed as she started walking down the hall with nick closely in tow. Officer Uncia and officer Berkley sat outside the door for quite some time not quite sure if they should wait inside the room or outside. officer Berkley had asked if she could sit inside the room, she was incredibly curious about the mammals inside the room. The monkey in the room nodded and gestured to a nearby chair. Officer Berkley was followed by officer Uncia a few minutes later. They sat there in silence for a good 10 minutes before Sarah finally spoke up.

"Hi! I'm Sarah oaken" she said extending a hand out to greet the officers.

"I'm officer Berkley, but you can just call me Catherine" she said shanking her paw the Sarah's hand.

"I'm Aiza nice to meet you."

"so Sarah what are you doing?" Catherine asked. The monkey glanced up from the multitude of sketch pads and journals.

"oh I'm trying to refine my translation of their language. I'm a archaeolexicologist" the two officers sat in silence for a moment before Aiza spoke up.

"boy that's a mouthful"

"why does everyone keep saying that?" Sarah huffed dropping the note pad onto her lap and crossing her arms like a pouting child. The group had a good laugh and continued chatting. After another 30 minutes or so of harmless banter back and forth Catherine asked about the patient.

"well what do you want to know?" Sarah asked back.

"I don't know what can you tell us?" Catherine responded back.

"well … we have no idea where they came from but wherever it was they seemed to be fighting a war." Sarah moved to pull a pad of paper from the pile.

"how can you tell?" Aiza asked. Sarah had pulled out the sketchpad from the 1st patient and removed the picture from the back. Aiza took it first and gave it a good look before giving it to Catherine. Catharine on the other had was instantly in awe at the image not because of the bodies of clearly dead animals or the four mammals taking up the center of the picture but the canine in the picture. Clearly he was a German Shepard but he looked wrong.

"what's up with the canine in this picture? Why does he look so weird?" Catherine asked. Sarah took the picture back and looked at it herself, long ago having gotten over the horrific image.

"well wherever there from canines at the very least are still feral. We don't know about any other animals" Sarah's words came as a shock, taking the picture back Catherine noticed the posture and position of the dog in the picture and it made sense. Well it didn't but it did.

"so wait does that mean he time travelled?" Aiza asked as Catherine rolled her eyes. Aiza was an avid sci-fi fan, anything to do with gadgets, lasers and time travel and you had her instant attention.

"we don't know" Sarah said as Catherine flipped the picture over. She couldn't understand what the sentence said.

"hey Sarah what's this say?" Sarah flipped her note pad to a few pages back before reading out

"it says last day I saw my brothers. Rest in peace Mack, Johnson, McNairy" afterword Sarah flipped back to the original page. Aiza hearing they were brothers looked back at the picture.

"but … they don't look anything like each other"

"ya your right. They don't look anything alike." The two officers continued looking over the details of the pictures from the different color furs on the top of the mammals heads to the weapons and vehicles they had I little better of an understanding about due to their police training. They made a similar description to the one Sarah made weeks prior to this, how they all looked like a sports team holding the trophy. Only the trophy was replaced with the burnt out husk of a vehicle. Their conversations ranged from how the mammals lived, how fast they could run, what they ate. Though the last one was more of Sarah explaining a typical primates diet. they sat and talked and waited until the knock out dart wore off.

OOO

When I woke up it wasn't the same groggy sleepy state I woke up from earlier that … I can assume day. But rather the practiced and drilled snap awake that I have been accustomed to for the last 6 years. I kept my eyes shut and listened. Three distinct voices where in the room, one I recognized as the monkey from the first time I woke up. When I did open my eyes it was just peeking through my eyelids not wanting them to know I was awake. I felt a pressure around my wrist and when I looked down I saw that I was hand cuffed to the bed.

 _That fucking buffalo_

Well looks like I'm not getting up and running anytime soon. Damn it I said I'd give this a try. Opening my eyes all the way I saw two of the officers from earlier a snow leopard and a German Shepard. They sat there by their foot of my bed just talking. The German Shepard I had noticed had a picture, my picture to be exact.

Ok don't freak out they don't know what that picture means to you calm down.

The handcuffs where hooked to the railing on the right side. The railing which was able to freely move until the foot of the bed.

 _Ok … here goes nothing_

Loudly clearing my throat, I instantly caught all their attentions. Three sets of eyes all staring at me. I pointed at the picture and gestured for the Shepard to give it to me. When no one moved for a solid 5 minutes in awkward silence I moved to the end of the bed and took the picture from the Shepard. The monkey on the other had decided to write down multiple questions on a note pad and handed it to me when she was done. The questions where pretty simple, and thankfully none of them where asking for military information so I was willing to answer all of them. There was one thing that hampered me from completing this task however and that was the handcuff pinning my dominant hand close to my lap. I motioned with my hands as best I could to switch the cuffs to the other wrist but it didn't quite translate clearly. Then it hit me, I could just write it out. Positioning the note pad on the bed next to me I wrote out the message. When I showed the Shepard the message I was suddenly really glad I did my wrist felt all sorts of weird after writing in the awkward position. The two officers had a small conversation, probably debating whether or not to actually do it. The leopard got up and moved to my left side placing her handcuff of my wrist and then the bed. At the same time the Shepard took the handcuff off and gave it to the leopard. Now that that was out of the way onto these questions. I kept telling myself over and over that I would give this a try.

What is your species called? Well that was easy. I quickly wrote down human

What is your name? max

How old are you? Odd but ok. 22

There were several more questions before the last one made me stop and think.

Prey or predator?

What does that mean prey or predator? Does it mean back in the stone age when humanity where still feral? Or if we had natural predators that tried to kill us? But even back then we were hunters not predators but I'm pretty sure we got eaten by large predators too. There's still cases of that with sharks and lions but there so few and far between I don't think that counts. So conclusion we didn't hunt like predators but we didn't get hunted like say a zebra by a lion. So both or would it be neither? I shrugged my shoulders and wrote down the word both after the last question. I gave the note pad back to the Shepard who was close enough to actually give it to. It was quickly passed off to the monkey. A few minutes later and after the monkey had gotten through most of the questions she sat there with a confused look on her face. They all glanced at the answer and back at me somehow thinking it would end their confusion.

 _Oh boy it's going to be a long day._

OOO

Again sorry for the delay but I'm a horrible procrastinator. Unfortunate I got nothing else for you guys and I hope you enjoyed.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	10. Chapter 10 Predator or prey?

**GREETINGS TROOPERS. So this chapter was a difficult one for me I think I wrote and rewrote it about 4 times. Thus why I didn't post anything last week. It wasn't like the last time where the thing that happened were story altering or anything like that. But rather I could have gone about this a couple of different way. On top of work I've taken a semester of collage as well. So I'm swamped with work but I will still try to get the chapters out, I owe you all as much. Please be aware though I may have to put the story on hiatus for short periods of time to catch up on school work or the story. Well I hope you enjoy and please give me some feedback.**

* * *

After a thoroughly annoying attempt to explain the whole prey predator thing to me, I was thoroughly confused. We weren't exactly hunted by anything but we really didn't go hunting all that much either. There were animals that could defiantly eat a human but it's rare to have happen, but it does happen. So it eventually got to the point that they just asked me a series of questions that I assumed would place a human into a prey or predator class. It was simple questions about various "animal" things like building homes, what we ate, how we went about doing certain things. I had to draw it out on occasion. It got really weird when they asked about mating. At first I didn't understand what mating meant but I quickly caught on. I skipped those for last. So when I was done writing down all my answers I swear they looked even more confused. Sarah drew a crude graph on the white bored and turned it around. Two columns where drawn, one was red the other blue and had predator and prey written above either. Above the numbers was written 50. Wow I guess humans where half and half but I never really expected that to be the truth. They decided that I had enough because soon after the three of them left unexpectedly. Right before the canine left the room however she took the hand cuff off and pointed her finger … paw? At me in a "don't do anything stupid sort of way". Having nothing better to occupy my time with I went back to sleep.

* * *

For the rest of the day I had just slept. I had come off the pain killers late in the following night and woke up with a yelp when I rolled over in bed. A groggy trip to the counter and a pain killer later I was back in bed. The next morning, I was woken up by a pair of frantic hands furiously shaking me awake. Eyes flinging open I looked into the face of the other human his face still half wrapped in bandages.

"mate get up we need to go!" I was a little shocked by the heavy British accent. He yanked me out of bed and next to the door, he soon peeked out of the door.

"I don't know what the bloody hell is going on but I'm seeing weird shit!" he frantically looked out the door and the surrounding hallway.

"fucking animals walking upright mate". I took a good look at what of his face I could see and found i knew him from my time in Europe. His name was James Amnicus, he was part of the royal marines before Britain got hit. When it fell they set the remainder of their forces to the states and folded into existing units. It wasn't uncommon to see half a unit sporting the British flag on their shoulder. They fought with the same stubborn determination as any of us.

 _Oh boy this is gunna be a wakeup call for him_

"James!" I grabbed him by both shoulders and made him face me. This must have been the first time he really looked at me and I finally saw recognition in his eyes.

"Max? Max Comite? Jesus mate I haven't seen you in years" then just as quick the fear crept back into his features.

"we need to get out of here and quick" he said turning away from me. I pulled him back away from the door again.

"James what do you think is happening right now?" he didn't hesitate even for a moment before he started shouting

"they must have drugged us mate I'm seeing a lot of weird shit!"

"James you have to calm down, you're not drugged and you're not crazy!" I yelled back at him. James for his part took it about as well as anyone in his situation could expect to. I couldn't tell how much time it took me to explain our situation, it could have been a couple minutes or several hours. He had his freak out moments during the explanations as well, especially when I retold my experience from the crash. He did take to the fact his men were still in the chopper when it was engulfed in flames. Despite how I told him they were already dead. At some point he just latched his arms around me and proceeded to bawl his eyes out. The monkey had poked her head into the room to see what the commotion was about. I quickly signaled her to leave. So for the next few hours my shoulder ended up getting soaked and my friend James got his shoulder to cry on.

* * *

Thank god they left us alone for the rest of that day, it probably would have ended with us in a jail cell if any of them came in. it gave James the time he needed to sort through the mayhem swirling in his brain. And that's how most of our day went both of us sitting on our beds just thinking about our situation. I told James how I planned on making the most of this and he agreed, probably for lack of a better plan at the moment. Sarah kept checking up on us throughout the day and brought us some food every few hours. Neither me or James were really all that hungry.

"hey James?" I asked him pushing the bowl of fruit onto the night stand. He looked my way before responding

"sup mate?"

"I think we should try to learn this places language" I said. He looked at me in thought

"I suppose; it would certainly help with the whole being stuck here issue" he looked down at his own bowl of fruit before setting it down as well.

"what happened? How did this happen? I thought all that different world stuff was just in your bloody daytime tv"

"I told you already it was the damn missile … what's up man?" I could tell something was bothering him.

"my sister and my mum … they were waiting for me to call them when we finished that mission. Don't know what they think happened to us. What about you?" he looked up at me with misty eyes, I could tell he was close to crying again.

"my folks and my little bro. told him I'd teach him to shoot when we were anywhere near Springfield, little farts only 12" my own eyes going misty as well.

"oh don't you start yank, if you start crying I'll start and then it's just a shit show" at this moment Sarah walked back in carrying some notepads and a couple of takeout containers. We were both glad for a break in our otherwise depressing conversation. I got Sarah's attention and mimicked the motion of writing something down. Moments later she handed me a blank note pad and a pen. I thought about how I wanted to word this question for a minute before finally writing down

We want to learn your language

I handed it the note pad back to her and her face lite up. She started chattering away as if we could understand her. I glanced at James who had just as amused look on his face as mine. She finally looked at the two of us sitting there with an amused smirk on our faces. I just shrugged my shoulders and gave a small chuckle.

Hell at least we can find something to laugh at.

* * *

Thanks again for everyone enjoyed and reading my story. Also what's the matter? The temptation of a rutabaga isn't enough to get you guys to comment? Anyway.

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


	11. Chapter 11 crickets?

Zootopia 11

OOO

 **Geez I knew school would be difficult but this is ridiculous. Any way I've worked on this chapter here and there to the best of my ability so don't think for a minute I forgot about you turd monkeys. So another big shout out to ADutchMarine you get another 2 rutabagas. Comments like that really help me to continue writing. But I noticed something about every story I have ever written. I get to the point where I hit 16000 words and my brain losses interest in the story. It happened with the spyro story I have and I haven't touched that in over 5 years. And the same almost happened to this story. Same with the 40k, adventure time, mass effect, call of duty, LOTR, star wars so on and so forth I hit a certain spot and my mind just goes**

" **nope I am not doing this anymore!" but honestly the amazing feedback ive gotten both as a compliant on the story as a whole or genuine criticism, it really helps me continue the story knowing that so many people enjoy what ive tried to create.**

…

 **Alright enough of the sappy sh!t! time to get my underwear clad rear end into gear.**

 **So for the rest of the story when something is said in** **English** **I will underline it to clarify the difference in chat otherwise the rest of the spoken language in the story is all "animal common". I use the term animal common because, other than a lack of a better term, the movies in the future might actually produce a name for their language.**

" **again I thank you all for those who commented and I hope you enjoy the chapter** **"**

OOO

five months. We were cooped up in that hospital room for five months doing nothing but learning this animal common. The language itself wasn't very difficult, hell I'd even say it has a decent amount in common with both German and Spanish. Though other than that the similarities end. Sure the alphabet got translated already and that took them a week. But to learn all the words you used to know but in a new language? Boy that's the challenge here. As we both progressed we would pick up more and more of the doctors and nurses conversations. Eventually it got to the point that we could almost communicate in full sentences in common. Though when it came to serious issues between myself and James we spoke in English. It was our fall back so to speak. A way for it to be just us, two soldiers who trusted each other and a language no one else understood. We could talk through our problems together without any eves droppers. Well except the monkey, she might be about the only one who understands what we say to each other. She never said anything about it though. In fact, the only reason we are even suspicious is every time we speak English her ears perk up and she instantly drops whatever it is she's doing to writes down notes on a note book. Can't really blame her though she done nothing but ask us questions about where we came from. We kept the war stories to a minimum for her sake. We told her about the almost cryptic similarities between our world and theirs.

Three months into our language lessons they finally let us out of the room. Mainly just to the cafeteria and the hospital physical therapy room. We had been lying in our beds for four months at that point. Surprisingly it was more of a gym then a physical therapy room. I guess when you have to help animals the size of mice all the way to an elephant the weight rack can get a tad excessive. We both worked out regularly to get our strength back up and ran as well. We had gotten used to the constant eyes that where always on us when we would work out. Though the clothes they gave us where meant for monkeys WITH tails. So it was kind of awkward at first to have shorts with a hole in the poop deck. We also got most of our combat fatigues back. My digital camo that only blended into a grandma's couch and James' light tan and dusty green camo uniforms. We never wore our jacket tops just the pants, boots and undershirts. There really wasn't a need for the jackets now that we were outside a combat theater. That leads to another funny human only trait, and that is boots. Shoes are almost nonexistent in this world so when all the people that live here see a couple of humans with their feet all wrapped up they don't know what to think.

It was about four months in when one of them decided it would be a good idea to give us access to the internet in their world. I nearly face desked when I clicked the little globe icon and the first website I saw was "zoogle" and after many hours of research and browsing I think I had a pretty good idea of how this world worked. It wasn't so much racism that was an issue in this world it was specism. And even that for the most part had died down for a more recent issue. Interspecies relationships. For some reason the population of this city seemed half and half on the issue, most just trying their best to stay clear of the fallout. The more I read the more angry I got. The closer to the present I got the more violent actions were taken against people … mammals who were in these relationships. Some of the most recent involving murders. I eventually stopped searching social issues and did some digging into their military. I was very shocked to find it was almost nonexistent. When I asked about it I got this long answer I didn't quite understand, something about peace agreements between other nations of this world. It didn't exactly make sense to me but if it works then I can't complain now can i?

OOO

"no … I don't think that's how it works" I said to James.

"I'm telling you mate it's just like football" his cocky smile plastered on his face

"but the ball isn't even egg shaped" the smile faded from his face when he realized I was referring to American football. The sound of the door opening drew us out of our conversation. First walked in Sarah and both of us were pleasantly surprised, followed immediately by a very angry looking buffalo.

"DON'T, say a damn thing" he started, before either of us could retort.

"you want to get the out of this hospital?" this caught both our attentions.

"good, now we have a bit of a problem down at the police station. We've had a bit of an accident involving YOUR gear that was recovered from the crash site. One of my officers is now permanently off active duty and will probably never walk again." He huffed continuously through his offer/explanation?

"I want you to disarm all the weapons we brought in." he glared at us letting his demand sink in

"and if you do. I'll let you two out of this hospital, but you will have a 24 hour police guard following you everywhere you go." We glanced at each other and back at him.

"I don't know James should we help him?"

"Hmmm honestly couldn't hurt our situation if we did" he said shrugging his shoulders. The large buffalo was close to visibly shaking with anger. He wasn't able to understand English and probably thought we were plotting something. Only Sarah being there calmed his nerves.

"screw it why not" I finally said

"sure we'll help you. But you might want to calm down before you give yourself a heart attack buffalo"

Myself and James were already in our uniforms so we just got up to follow him. Immediately outside the door was the snow leopard and the Shepard in riot gear. I look annoyingly at the buffalo before asking Berkley if it was really necessary. She shrugged heaving the seemingly too big shotgun. I smirked as I walked by her.

"safeties on" I told her walking behind the buffalo. Honest to god I didn't actually know but when I heard the soft click of the safety turning off I couldn't help but wear a shit eating grin. It probably freaked her out a bit too. As soon as we left the hospital we were swarmed by animals of all sizes that had to be news teams. Most of the larger animals where held back by the line of officers most of which rhinos. A few of the smaller animals in the crowd managed to sneak through. Suddenly I had a small light brown rabbit directly in my face with a microphone.

"is it true humans still activally hunt!" she practically screamed it in my face. I shrugged my shoulders.

"some do" the small rabbit already had her face back in the camera.

"you heard it here first, humans are blood thirsty killers looking for prey to hunt!" the rabbit attempted to coax the camera rabbit with her to make a hasty exit. Not before I caught her by the scruff of her shirt and lifted her to be face to face.

"now wait just a damn minute that's not what I said and you know it rabbit!" the camera rabbit just continued rolling obviously not wanting to miss the shot of his boss about to get chewed out.

"ya some of us hunt but it's a very small number of us, so don't go slapping the blood thirsty monster label on us unless we deserve it!" I let the rabbit reporter go and the two quickly vanished into the crowd of new mammals. At this point the rest of the crowd was in an uproar screaming over each other to shout questions at us. I didn't catch even a snippet of any question before the buffalo and the two officers forced us into the back of a swat van. For a split second I was worried when the doors slammed shut. That feeling went away the moment the two officers started peeling off the swat helmets and storing their weapons on racks inside the van. The ride was short and silent. I assumed we were only a short distance from the police station to begin with. Once there we exited the van outside the front door.

Really the front door not an underground garage or something like that?

The old buffalo huffed and motioned us to follow him inside followed by Berkley and Uncia. Behind the reception desk was a rather large cheetah face down in a phone. The buffalo just walked by ignoring the officer whose attention was clearly off his work.

"oh M goodness" I looked over to realize he was staring at myself and James.

"what's up with your buddy?" James whispered to Uncia. She shrugged and said it was a Clawhauser thing. The bubbly cheetah continued chatting away

"I didn't think I'd get to see a human today! Oh you have to let me take a picture of you two! Oh wait where did I put my camera? HUH! Did I leave it at my sisters after the last gazelle concert? Oh no! you two have to try some of her music she's amazing! "the cheetah droned on and on without an end to his banter in sight. A small nudge from Berkley brought me to the realization that I should just walk away. I shrugged, which seemed to be contagious at the moment, and followed Berkley and the buffalo. Uncia and James followed, only after the cheetah was pried off James by a rather glare intensive leopard.

"thanks love" he said. I know what a brit means when he says love but the leopard clearly didn't. her face was bright red under the white and black fur and her ears where pinned to the back of her skull in embarrassment, James none the wiser. I have to remember to bring that to James attention at some point. Rounding the corner, I was greeted with a large grey slab of metal jutting from the wall. Clearly an armory door.

"our little deal is still in effect humans, but if you try anything we have armed guard in there with you" I smirked at the hollow threat and I heard James give a short laugh behind me.

"sure thing buffalo, besides maybe you guys could learn a thing or … "I rounded the corner and I was not prepared for what I saw. The room was a long room maybe 40-50 feet back and about 20 across on either side were weapon racks, most of which were empty. Running down the middle was a table bolted to the floor that ran almost the length of the room. On said table was the vest and rifle of everyone they pulled out of the crashes. I gulped down tears as I saw the names labelled on each rifle, on each vest. This wasn't opening old wounds, this was ripping them open and pouring acid in them. I turned around and looked at James.

"alright I'll take the British gear you take the U.S., that way it'll hut less." James simply nodded in agreement. There was one thing I had to make sure I did before we started.

"James" I said. He only nodded in understanding. He stood next to me hands clasped behind his back and feet spread shoulder width apart. Myself standing in the same pose. Quickly slamming my heels together and snapping my hands to my sides I yell out

"present!" James follows my lead as I give the command. All around the room the animals are confused. Not sure what to make of the spectacle in front of them.

"ARMS!" I yell out. Both me and James snap our right hands to the crook of our eyebrow. This was what needed to happen. These men died in the line of duty, and deserved at the very least the respect of those who survived, those still able to give them respect. For several second me and James stood there, perfectly erect and right arms raised. Tears rolling down both of our faces. The room was silent, the animal's breath catching in their throats as if not daring to interrupt the ceremony in front of them. Never had any of them seen anything like it, even the hardened buffalos features softened.

"order … arms" we lower our hands to our sides and relax.

"alright let's get this done"

OOO

We worked fast. Wanting to get out of the situation as fast as possible. We quickly sorted the ammo by types into different crates. Grenades, smokes and explosives into another crate. Gear like the night vision goggles and optics got logged and locked up into one of the side cages. The rifles and vests where stored next and the last thing we did was peel the name off of every vest. We burned the name tapes, there was no need to keep those bad memories even if they were locked in an arms room. When they closed that massive grey door it's as if they cut the last reminder of the horrible war we left behind. We could finally move on. We were on our way out of the police station with the group we came in with.

"well a deal is a deal." The buffalo stated.

"Uncia, Berkley don't let these two out of your sights. When your done take them to complex 2B" the buffalo began walking away before either of the officers could protest. There was a long silence that followed as the four of us looked back and forth between each other.

"so! … whose hungry?" Uncia blurted out to end the silence. Both me and James were mentally exhausted we just wanted food, shower and some sleep. We really didn't care what order we got it in.

OOO

We reached a place a couple of blocks away from the police station. It was called _Al Capony's_ , when I asked about the name they said it was named after a famous gang leader back a couple hundred years. Again this worlds creepy similarities to my own sends my head reeling. I just can't grasp how it's so similar. Regardless pizza is pizza and I'm not one to turn down some free food.

"so humans had pizza as well?" Berkley asked. Both James and I nodded. Taking a quick glance around the other patrons seemed on edge. Though probably not as on edge with the fact we had two police officers with us.

"yes, though it was around our entire world each place often had their own spin to it."

"like what?" Uncia asked. This time James spoke up.

"well British pizza often had breakfast foods on them. Eggs, potatoes, sausage stuff like that. The Americans had all sorts of stuff on theirs."

The pizza finally came out and the waiter left in a hurry. Me and James grimaced when we saw that the pizza had crickets and fried grasshoppers on it.

"well let's face it brit. We have defiantly eaten worse." We both took a slice from the table. We didn't really notice the restaurant went silent. Every animal in the place was watching us, some of which had their phones out recording us.

"heh remember east Georgia mate? Dear lord yanks can't cook" he took a bite out of his slice.

"Thems fighting words brit" I proceeded to take a bite out of my slice as well. All in all, it wasn't a bad taste, the crunchy texture was something to get used to so I just imagen they were crunchy bacon bits.

"hmmm I give it a 6 out of 10" James spoke up through a mouthful of food. The two officers looked at each other.

"what you don't like crickets?" Uncia asked.

"in all honesty I've never eaten bugs before." I responded grabbing another slice. Clearly they were glad we liked it for never trying it and it really wasn't that bad. We all sat around telling stories and just generally enjoying the evening.

Maybe we could get used to this.

OOO

I don't know what I expected the complex to be. But a rather nice looking apartment building was defiantly not one of them. So after pizza the two officers escorted us to the apartment complex. The front was gated so the officers had to go through the process of buzzing us in. once in we went up the elevator and finally our room. well rooms I should say, I didn't realize they would be splitting us up. After spending 5 months in the same hospital room and countless more in the same foxhole you feel a little empty inside. But hey! There's a bed! So empty or not I'm happy. James went into his room, he said his good nights to everyone before shutting the door. Then Uncia locked it from the outside, telling James she did as much as well. I looked over and Berkley.

"what worried were going to run off in the middle of the night?" she gave me a deadpanned expression before saying

"yes" and slamming the door shut without a moment's hesitation. I chuckled and heard the door click as well as the promise of them letting us out first thing in the morning. Turning around I took in my surrounding in the apartment. The walls where a dusty green and yellow. The carpet a dirty brown and the furniture had seen better days. But compared to some of the bombed out buildings and foxholes I've slept in it was paradise. It had a main room and kitchen and a bedroom off to the side. Deciding I had enough emotional turmoil for one day I decided to hit the hay. Peeling off my boots, socks and pants I pulled the covered back. Sinking into the comfortable material I almost passed out right then and there. Pulling the covers up I was out almost instantly.

Today could have been far worse.

OOO

Well folks it's been a challenge for me, I've only been able to get scraps done here and there but here it is. Chapter lengths will be lengthened and insanity with be brought in by the truck load. All in all, I'm pleasantly surprised by most of the feedback. Thanks to all whole help me out by commenting and PMing.

Rutabaga count

ADutchMarine: 3

Everyone else: N/A

Stay awesome and I'll see you in the drop zone trooper!

LtSolarFlare signing off


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